22 things you need to know about trading from Vic Niederhoffer

1. Never try to make money the same way twice in a row.
2. Don't trade inactive markets.
3. Don't assume that the relation between your two favorite markets will stay the same from year to year.
4. Be alert to big minimums on Monday as they tend to reverse.
5. Try not to sell markets that have big drifts upwards like stocks.
6. Try to go with with the central banks.
7. Be one with the idea that has the world in its grip and be on the side of the market that will further that grip.
8. Never go for small profits as the vig is too great relative to your gain as a %.
9. Don't trade when a loved one is very sick.

1. Never try to make money the same way twice in a row.
2. Don't trade inactive markets.
3. Don't assume that the relation between your two favorite markets will stay the same from year to year.
4. Be alert to big minimums on Monday as they tend to reverse.
5. Try not to sell markets that have big drifts upwards like stocks.
6. Try to go with with the central banks.
7. Be one with the idea that has the world in its grip and be on the side of the market that will further that grip.
8. Never go for small profits as the vig is too great relative to your gain as a %.
9. Don't trade when a loved one is very sick.

It is interesting that such an intelligent man still does not really understand his downfall, at least as evidenced by this list, perhaps it is cognitive dissonance? It is really a modern, real life parable.

In the end, in speculation in which you have no outside risk manager, emotional intelligence will defeat intellectual capacity in the long run. One must understand and respect how horribly fallible one is in order to succeed...